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Farm Bureau task force looks to the future

A task force launched to reexamine the direction of Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) recently embarked on a series of town hall meetings as it prepares to make recommendations about the future of the organization.

In 2001, a similar task force had done extensive work to position OFBF to effectively navigate emerging trends and challenges. In addition to identifying the organization’s core values and indicators of success, that task force had developed OFBF’s mission of forging a partnership between farmers and consumers.

The new group, which includes county Farm Bureau representatives, state Farm Bureau trustees and staff, will provide input on what Farm Bureau must do to remain effective moving forward.

The 11 town hall meetings were designed to gather feedback from local Farm Bureau leaders and expand the knowledge base of the task force. Local farmers were asked about the current challenges and future trends facing Ohio agriculture, where OFBF can have the greatest impact, what future OFBF members will look like and where OFBF should place its focus.

“I knew this was an opportunity to help shape Farm Bureau as to what the future may involve for Farm Bureau to allow the consumer to understand agriculture better,” said Mark Stokes of Clinton County who participated in one of the meetings.

David Bright of Athens County saw a similar opportunity “to voice our opinions on what’s important to us at the county level, at the state level and at the national level.”

Another participant had remarked that “this is the best Farm Bureau meeting I’ve ever attended.”

As it continues to develop recommendations, the task force will gather input through surveys of Farm Bureau members, education and research professionals, government officials, commodity groups, the media, agribusinesses, consumer groups, environment and natural resource groups and Nationwide and OFBF staff.

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is a member of American Farm Bureau Federation®, a national organization of farmers and ranchers including Farm Bureau® organizations in 49 other states and Puerto Rico, and is responsible for Farm Bureau membership and programs within the State of Ohio. Ohio Farm Bureau Federation programs and services are available only to Farm Bureau members within Ohio. The political views expressed in these pages represent Ohio Farm Bureau Federation's positions on various issues as they relate to Ohio. The positions of the national Farm Bureau organization collectively are expressed through American Farm Bureau Federation. Any opinions, statements or views expressed through comments or by outside contributors are the express views of those individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.